Indicator.



D. ORELMAN.

INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED 1123.9, 1910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

D. ORELMAN.

INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 9,1910.

Patented Mar. '7, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Jae 02562 Ckzrnagz, 1% @ywm,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Davin CRELMAN, OF CHICAGO, VILLINOIS.

INDICATOR.

To all whom it concern:

Be'it known that I, DAVID CRELMAN,-a

subject of; the Czar of Russia, residing at class'designed to indicate to passengers in a view-opening. in the casing and a frame for the rollers of a construction adapt ng them to be readily inserted into op-,

car the-streets passed by the car as the latter approaches them; and, more particularly, to

' indicators-formed of a pair of rollers coop? erating with a strip of flexible material upon which the names of the streets are printed,

and provided with means within reach of an attendant on the car for actuating the strip to move the printing into a position in which it may be'viewed by the passengers.

-My objectis to provide improvements in devices of the character above referred to, tothe end of making the same more praet1 cable and desirable for use by provid ng improved operatinganeans for the rollers, 1m:

, proved means for insuring the proper positioning of the printedinatter opposite the for the rollers,

era tive posltion in the casing on the car and removed therefrom as desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-l igure 1 is a. perspective View of my improved indicator.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken at the line 2 *on Fig. 1' and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig.

3 is a plan view of dog-inechanisiii cooperating with the roller-operating gears. Fig. 4

is an enlarged section taken at the line 4 on Fig. l and viewed in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig. 4 and viewed in the direct-ion of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the interiorof the indicator. Fig. '7 is. a broken section taken through the casing, aiidone of the gears,sho\\'ing the roller-carrying frame in elevation; and Fig. 8, a broken view in end elevation of one end of the 'i'oller-eai'i'y-' ping frame with a roller supported thereon.

The ca siiig'for the indicator is represented at 10 and will be located at any convenient .ponit i i'the car to be equipped, either-at its ends or at a side thereof.

()ne side-member 11. of (l censing is provided 'w th a pair of 'spaced bearing-.ineinbers 12 which open inwar'dly through the casing as represented in Fi 7'.

The opposite end of the casingis Specification of Letters i atent. Application filed April 9, 1910. Serial No. 554,342.

roller contains in "its atentedMar. .7, 1911.

m the adjacent side-member 14 of the casing and in direct line with the bearings, spaced which is located between the gears 15 and 16 I and meshes therewith for causing the gears 15 and 16 to rotate in the same direction for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

The strip of material upon -whicli the streets that the car passes, are printed in succession, is represented at.19 and is rolled atits oppositeends upon rollers 20 and'2l, the strip being secured at its opposite free ends to the rollersiiiany suitable manner, as is well understood in the art, whereby it'inay be rolled from one roller to the other. Each.

' opposite ends outwardly-opening sockets 22in which rollerextensions 23 extending beyond'the ends of the rollers are reciprocably confined, these extensions carrying pins 24 which slide in closed-end slots in the walls of the sockets 22. The extensions 23are held outwardly pressed by coiled springs 26 confined between the end-walls of the sockets 22 and'the inner ends of the extensions 23, as represented in Fig. 7.

Cooperating with the rollers 20-and 21 is a frame 27 which is preferably formed of provided with apartition 13, inwhichand 4 two U-shaped members 28 opening toward each other as represented in Fig. (3. One of the arms of one member 28 telescopes with the adjacent -arm of the other member 28, and surrounding one of these arms and confined between a stop 29 thereon and the end of the adjacent arnr-is a coiled spring 30 which operates to spread apart the members 28. The opposite arms of'the members 28 are deflected outwardly to provide spaced handle-grips 3], one of-"which carries a socket-member 32. vhicli telescopes with a pin on the. other grip,- a coiled-spring 34 surrounding these telescoping parts and o'pcrating to'hold the ine nbersQS spread apart.

Theopposite sides of the frame 27 contain openings 35 for receiving the ends of the eratensions 23 which are provided with fixed collars 36 and removable collars 36 earrythe collars 36 ing set-screws e361, fitti against the ll1l101.fiICGS of the sides of the frame 27 and the collars 36 being located on the outer sides thereof, as represented in represented in Fig.

Figsfi and 8. ,The'openings 35am so located as tocaiise the rollers to extend lengthis as-follows: Assuming the casingto be empty of its frame 27 and the rollers carried thereby,"the operator will insert the rollers and 21 with the strip 19 wound thereon into the frame 2 Fnsuch position, as illustrated in Fig, 6, .i's tocause the extensions 20 23 to extend'through the openings (Fig.

. ".8 irith the collars 36 sions 23 in'the' position disposed on the inner .srti slof the f time-ends, whereupon the collzii-sf36 may then be fastened on the extenillustrated in Fig. 8. The operator will then grasp the frame 27 at its handle-grips 31 squeezing the latter together pgainst the resistance of the springs 34: and o0with the result of causing the. ex-

.30 terior of the rollers against tensions 23 to be partially drawn into the inthe tension of the springs 26, thereby shortening the roller devices The operator, still grasping the frame 27 as described, inserts the latter into the casing 10, cross-wise thereof, the ends of the'extens'ions' 23 entering the channels 37 which guide the extensions to the bearings 12 and sockets 17 in the gears 15 and 16. As soon-as the frame 27 is positioned described, the operator releases his grip'on the handles 31, whereupon the springs 33, 30 and 26 recoil and spread the frame-members 28, thereby. projecting the extensions 23 into the bearings '12 and the sockets in the ears 15 and 16, thus positioning these rollers'for operation when the gears are rotated in any suitable manner, as for instance by the means hereinafter described. \Vhen it is desired that'the rollers be removed from the casing 10, the operator will grasp the handle-grips 31, thus withdrawing the extensions 23 from engagement with the gears 15 and 16 and "bearings 12 and permitting the frame 27 to' be withdrawn without disturbing-the relative positions of the rollers. The means which I prefer to employ for operating the rollers is that shown in the drawings and is as-tollows: Thegear 16 is rigidly connected with a shaft 38 which extends beyond the casing 10, and carries a pair-of pulleys 39 and 40, or these pulleys may be combined in one if desired. Secured to the floor of a coiled spring 42,

two cords t3 and The cord 44 are secured.

43 passes around the pulley 40 in one direc:

for entering [)tll'ilh' the car represented at 41 is to the upper end of which "cause the gear 16 to rotatcto-the left in ,Fig..-

- the opposite direction,

therewith to normal position,

tion and the cord 44 around the pulley 39 in i as represented in Fig. 1, these cords extending over pulleys '43 and leading to a point in the car coiweiiierit of access to either the conductor or motorman, as desired. The ends of the cords 43 and 4st .opposite to those attached to the spring 42 respectively,

connect with slides 46 and LT, which are confined in a pair. of parallel channels 48 and 49' provided in a block 50, these'slides carrying finger-grips 51 which extend through elosed-end slots 52 in the walls of said channels and through the medium of which grips the cords may be operated against the tension of the .-.pring 42.

When it is desired that the strip 19 travel from one roller to the other in one direction, the operator will by successively drawing down on one .of the finger grips 51, draw on the cord-secured thereto, and with each pull rotate the shaft and consequently the gears in the casing .10 sufficiently far to expose with each operation, at an opening in the removable cover 5% for the casing 10. the name of a street, and when it is desired-that the strip 19 travel in the opposite direction, such successive operations of the gezw-inechanisin may be effected by operating the other finger-grip '51 as described, the slots 2 being of a length equal to the dis- ,tance between the adjacent lines of printed matter on the strip to properly position the printed matter opposite the openings-53; and the spring 42 operating to automatically return the cords and finger-grips connecte As a means for preventing the turningot the gears during the return movement of the cord 'to normal position and thus displacement of the strip 19, except when operated as hereinbefore described, I providea douhlo- 'iawl device, a description of which is as follows: Slidable upon the bottom of the casing 10, i 'nn'iediately below the gear 16, is a trough-shaped member provided at one end with a plate 5% containing an upd oo wardly-extending slot 55 adapted to engage with the reduced side of the casing 10. 'livoted on'pins 59 secured inthe opposed walls of the trough are llpwardly-extending dogs 60 which are so constrimted inwardly by reason of the engagement 0 their portions 31 with the bottom ofthe trough The dogs are connected together and held yiehlingly trated in Fig. 2, by means of a'coiled spring (32. When in the operation of the gears, the gear 16 turns to the right in Fig. 2, the trough should be positioned as illustrated to cause the left-hand dog (i to eoo 'ierate with left. 'VVhen the gears are so operated-as to shouldered end 56 of a screw 5? working through a nut 58 in the that they will not yield in the position illusthis gear and prevent it froi n turning to the 2 and thus reverse the direction of travel of the strip 19, the trough 53 should be moved to the'left in Fig. 2 by operating the screw.

57 to a position in which the righthand dog 60 will cooperate-with the gear 16 forpermitting it to rotate to the left in Fig. 2, but

not to theright. v

While I have-shown springs 26 operating .to extend the roller-extensions 23, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit my invention to the use of such springs, as the springs in the frame may be alone used.

4 F urthermore,'instead of using the springs One of the particular advantages arising 4 from a construction embodying my invention is that of permitting the rollers carrying the strip to be quickly and easily intro duced into the casing and withdrawn .therefrom atwill, without disturbing the operating mechanism, Thus, a car may be equipped at both ends with a casing and operating mechanism, and but one frame 27 be employed, such frame being changed from one casing to the other when such change is desirable, for locating the indicating device in front of the passengers.

Under some conditionsin use it is desirable that somemeans be provided whereby the rollers may be turned in,either direction to wind the strip from one roller to the other, by hand, without necessitating such winding of the strip by operating the cord and pulley mechanism, as for instance where the strip, which it is desired be inserted into the casing, is so wound on the rollers as to cause the printed names of the, streets, should the rollers be opeiated by the cord and pulley mechanism, to :be successively exposed to view in the reverse order of that required; To permit ofsuch operation of the strip, I provide the roller 20 with a crank-handle 63 which may be turned by hand to turn the rollers in the desired direction, the provision of the cord and pulley mechanism permitting the pulleys to turn against the'friction of the cords;

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.,A device of the character set forth, comprising, in'combination, a casing formed with opposed hearings for rollers, a pair of rollers formed of movable parts permitting the rollersto be lengthened or'shortened,

' journaled in said bearings, a strip of flexible material bearing the matter to be displayed rolled at its opposite eiidsu-pon said rollers, and means in said casing engaging with said rollers and operating, when actuated,

to shorten the latter for permitting them to bewithdrawn from the hearings in the casing.

2. A device of the 'character set forth,

comprising, in combination, a'casing formed with opposed bearings for rollers, a pair ofrollers'formed of movable parts permitting the rollers to be lengthened or shortened, journaled in said bearings, a strip of flexible inaterialbearing theLjmat-ter to be displayed rolled'at its ends upon said rollers, means tending to hold said rollers extended, and

means operating,. when actuated, to shorten the rollers, for the purpose set forthv 3. A device of the character set forth,

comprising, in combination, a casingformed with opposed bearings for rollers, a-pa'ir of rollers formed of movable parts permitting the rollers to be lengthened or shortened, journale'd in said bearings, a strip of flexible material bearing the matter to be displayed rolledat its ends upon said rollers, and'a frame in said casing formed of movable members engaging with said rollers and operating, when the frame is contracted, to

shorten the rollers, for the purpose set forth; 4. A device of the character'set forth,

comprising, in combination,.a casing formed with opposedibearings for rollers, a pair of rollers formed of movable parts permitting the rollers to be lengthened or shortened,

journaled in said bearings, a strip of flexible material bearing the matter to be displayed rolle'd at ends upon said rollers, a frame in saidcasing formed of movable members engaging with said rollers and operating, when the frame is con. acted, to shorten the rollers; and means tenf ing to 'hold said frame extended, for the urpose set forth.

5.- A device of the ciaracter set forth,

comprising, in combination, a casing formed with opposedbearings for rollers, a pair of rollers formed of movable parts permitting the rollers to be lengthened or shortened,

journaled in said bearings, a strip of flexible material bearing the matter to be displayed rolled at its opposite GIIdS'UIJOIl said rollers, and a frame insaid casing formed of separate U-shaped members connected together and movable with relation toi-e'ach other, said.

frame engaging with said rollers and operating, when said members are drawn toward each other, to shorten the'rollers, for the purppse set forth v6. A device of the character set forth,

comprising, in combination, a. casing formed with opposed hearings for rollers,- a pair of rollers formed of movable parts permitting the rollers to be lengthened or shortened, journaled in said bearings, a strip of flexible -material bearing the matter to be displayed rolled at its opposite ends upon said rollers, a frame iiisaid casing formed of separate U- shaped members connected together aml movable with relation to each other, said frame engaging with said rollers and operrelatively. movable atmg, when said members are. drawn tovard each other, to shorten the rollers, and means tending to hold said for the purpose set forth:

7. The combination with anexpansible and contractible frame formed of relatively movable members, and means tending to hold said frame expanded, of rollers carried formed of relatively by said frame and adapted to be lengthened and shortened, forthepurpose set forth.

8. A frame for the purpose set forth, movable U shaped members opening toward each other with two adjacent onposingarms telescoping, and its other arms formed .with handle-portions, and springs coiiperating with said telescoping arms and operating to hold the members normally in expanded condition.

9. The combination of a frame formed of frame extended,-

be expanded and contracted, and rollers formed withrelatively. movable parts supported on said frame in a manner to cause them to be lengthened and the frame is expanded and'contracted respectively.

'10. The combination of a frame formed parts permitting to shortened when' of relatively movable parts permitting it tobe expanded'and.contracted, rollers. formed of relatively movable parts supported on said frame in a manner to cause them to be lengthened and shortened when the frame is expanded and contracted respectively, and means tending to hold the DAVID CRELMAN.

In presence of \V. B. DAVIES, R. A. Scnanrn z.

frame expanded. 

